


the dead are living (and all the living are dead.)

by cherryfuji



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Death Experience, F/M, Mentions of Self Injury, Multi, Shall We Date?: Obey Me! Spoilers, Smut, demon bros are once again morally devious, mc actually deals with literally dying !!!, not very happy kinda dark look on obey me, u are self destructive congrats, yes i watched ahs coven and was like “mhm death is traumatic”
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28145103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryfuji/pseuds/cherryfuji
Summary: there’s a little more consequence to resurrection than you thought.- you’d think death would be a little more kind to its new friend.
Relationships: Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Leviathan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 71





	the dead are living (and all the living are dead.)

You’re not entirely sure how to act in this situation. Scratch that - you’re not entirely sure how to act at all, ever again, present nor past nor future. The hollow ache in your chest is nothing compared to the endless droning of your thoughts, head forever moving despite the fact you’ve been keeled over on the floor for a while now. ( _It’s less like consciousness than you remember:_ not unlike floating in a crowded pool with the water lapping at the sides of your skull - you can’t quite hear what everyone is saying or doing, under that thin veil of shifting water. Maybe, this time, you’re floating face-down in the water. The sun doesn’t hit your back. You are cold. You’re drowning, possibly. Whatever burning your lungs still seem to feel is far-away and distant. The numbness lingers everywhere like a bad smell, hooking its way up your nostrils and into the nooks and crannies of your brain and dizzying your frail form.)

Your body is right there.

It’s right fucking _there_. Just laying there.

Mammon has one of his shaking hands buried in your hair and the other tucked underneath your back. He’s The way your chest slumps in his hold tells you that it is horribly and irreversibly disfigured - crushed, mangled, splintered. Your hand finds your chest. (That’s how it happened. _That’s how you -_ ) The sob rattled your chest. _It hurt, it hurt, it hurt._ The phantom pain tingled the hollow of your heart. Mammon ducks his face further into your neck, the delicate bridge of his nose disappearing into your jaw. You can hear the whispers of your name from your slump on the stairs.

Belphegor is laughing. He’s actually giggling - maniacal, happy giggling. It’s a touch bewildered. You muster up a glare and send it at his side, the cold wine shade of his eyes visible from here. He too, seems rather entranced by the sight of your dead body but you presume that’s for a different reason than your own. The small chaos unfolds still. All of the brothers you’d come to know looked guilty and rightfully so. _(Hadn’t three of them already threatened to kill you before? And know they knew what the deed looked like.)_

You paused. Is this what it’s like to be dead? _Bitter?_

Leviathan notices you first. The bright tangerine of his shoes swiveled towards you. You find the bright color a little hypnotic. You met his eyes and he met yours. Oh. So maybe not dead.

“H-huh?” Levi’s voice grew louder in surprise. His right arm raised upwards, delicate fingers curled in slightly, crossed over his chest. Fear, you think, shock at a dead girl sitting on the steps. What would he call this story arc? _We Kidnapped a Human Girl Who Our Estranged Brother Murdered After Being Locked in the Attic but Now She’s a Ghost?!_

Your name left his lips in a manner that seemed far too openly affectionate for the shut-in. “What - that’s - “

Eventually, in a matter of moments, all eyes turn to you. _(Definitely not a ghost.)_ There’s a lot of relief in their eyes, surprise and shock and confusion, but a lot of relief. You can’t be sure your face mimics theirs. If you’re miraculously alive, why do you feel so down? Somehow, you recall that this is Barbatos’ doing, but all the memories you have of wherever you came from make you dizzy. All you remember is the feeling of bone jutting through flesh and blood seeping down your face and that horrible feeling of no air _no air no air \- _

Asmodeus called out your name happily, clutching his hands over his heart as dramatically as possible - as if this were all a play. You felt a bit like an actor, peculiarly enough, sat upon a stage and the lights far too bright and the dry ice choking you. You rested your head upon the bannister wearily. The commotion continued on. Only Satan stepped closer to you, hand outstretched like he wanted you to take it. Lucifer’s eyes burned fierce and cold into both of you. Was he still angry?

By the time the truth had emerged, and the demons had begun to understand what had happened, you just wanted to sleep. You’d spoken lowly about Lilith and her dreams - unsure what reaction speaking of their dead sister would garner. Diavolo’s eyes had been on you the whole time. Amber judging your words for any sort of deceit or half-truths. Had he sensed it? The sentences you’d left out? What you had said to Lilith? You assured yourself that he hadn’t when you met his gaze once more and the Prince gave you an assuring smile. You didn’t give one in return.

Lucifer watched as his brothers moved to hug you. Satan was closest and wrapped a steady arm around your waist. “Can you stand?” he quietly murmured. You gave a slight nod and let him bring you to your feet. Where his warm hands would’ve burned sensitive trails on your skin, there was nothing.

Mammon was the next to barrel into you, clinging to your smaller form with renewed vigor. The smiles of their faces could cut glass. Happiness Lilith had given them… you buried your face into Mammon’s jacket and desperately tried to inhale the usual scent of saffron and leather that had lingered in your clothes and pillows for months. You didn’t care how they had treated you, how angry they had been, how much trouble they had ever gotten you in - you were just needy to feel alive.

“Hey!” his voice rattled you. “You really worried me there for a sec! I thought - “

Mammon cut himself off. You were happy he did.

More arms came around you until you felt like you were suffocating again. Beel’s distinct frame was recognizable as he hugged you from behind, capturing Satan’s head of honey hair in his elbow as he did so. The tallest brother’s head buried itself into your crown. No warmth spread. The ache in your chest grew. “I can’t believe it…” Beel trailed off. Neither could you.

Everyone was so happy. Why did you feel so wrong?

Through the onslaught of five demon hugs your eyes caught onto Barbatos. The steward was rigid. Slowly, he raised a gloved finger to his nose and tapped it once. _Our secret_ , it said. You resist the urge to squirm. _(Your death is our secret, your entire different time is our secret, the demon brothers left behind waiting is our secret.)_

“What’re ya crying for?” Mammon pushed back against Levi to stare at your face. You raised shaking fingertips to your numb cheeks and realized they were wet with sudden tears. “Everything’s great! Lilith is back with us inna way and you’re still kickin’. What’s there to be upset about?”

“I - “ The tears kept falling. You didn’t even feel your eyes sting. Once more you glanced at Barbatos. He cleared his throat.

“Now, now, don’t everyone throw your arms around them all at once. Think about how it would feel being mobbed by all of you like that,” Barbatos patiently said.

“ _I_ don’t have to imagine,” Satan grumbles from where he’d been pushed into your side by both Beel and Asmodeus.

Barbatos continued. “The dear human must be surprised as well.”

Devious little shit, you thought. The brothers reluctantly pull themselves off your frail frame, Mammon clings to the sleeve of your jacket, rolling the material between his fingers like one of his prized coins, and Leviathan stays close. His tail flicks back and forth in the space between you - a warning to Belphegor. The said demon stands in a state of frozen shock, eyes wide and glassy, hands balled into fists by his sides. The aggression that rolled off his body had ceased, but the frustration remained. Belphegor refused to meet your gaze, cheeks red and angry and violet eyes cast away elsewhere. Carefully, you look up at Lucifer.

He had been the only demon brother not to hug you - aside from Belphegor. Lucifer’s arms remained crossed firmly over his front, expression neutral with a hint of distaste. So quite the normal expression, actually. You wanted to reach up and smooth out the dip in his brow like you’d done once before, gently with the pad of your thumb and the back of your hand cradled in his warm palm, dark eyes softening as they looked down at you. It had only happened once or twice - when Lucifer had pressed you against some wall, either angry at your ‘ _boneheaded qualities_ ’ or frustrated at the way the others had kept you away all week.

“Belphegor,” Barbatos spoke again. “Aren’t you going to join in on the hugs?”

Levi’s tail curled and you were immediately grateful for the dubious looks everyone sent towards the butler. You didn’t want a hug. A hand snaked up to your heart and squeezed it, leaving your lungs airless and your head foggy. Belphegor remained silent before huffing slightly. He dug the heels of his slender palms into the sockets of his eyes, turning the skin white with pressure and began to shake his head. “It’s not true… it _can’t_ be. Lilith can’t have been reborn. Especially not into a human who just happens to be in this fucking exchange program!”

Belphegor meets your eyes. “It’s all too perfect, isn’t it?” _(It is,_ you think, _it is far too convenient.)_ “You’re all trying to trick me and it’s not going to work! I refuse - “

His voice cut off. You wrapped your arms tightly around your stomach. There was no anger anymore in him, just sadness. You understood now why Belphegor was the youngest - he reminded you of a petulant child, with wild tantrums and a non-negotiable attitude. All of the demons reminded you of children, but Belphie the most.

“This is a trap,” he murmured, nails clutching at his temples, “it’s got to be a trick.”

“I’ve _never_ tricked you, Belphegor,” you said. The words had come quickly and firmly in your rattly chest, despite the overwhelming emptiness in your body. “Not once, not ever. _You_ were the one who tricked me as I was trying to help you.”

The demon scowled and ran his hands to the back of his neck, pulling at the soft hair there. You remembered how soft it was, fingers leaning through the attic bars to pet him to sleep one night. Belphegor shook his head once more. “No…”

“Belphie,” Beel spoke quietly, and he sounded a little ashamed. “Please.”

“You’re all lying to me,” Belphegor hissed. “Even you.”

“It’s the truth,” Diavolo said. “The human is the distant descendant of the human Lilith.”

The young demon brought himself to the floor, sitting cross-legged and once again he reminded you of a child being told off. His whole frame was pitiful to watch. Levi’s tail fell. Whatever fight Belphie had was gone, and he merely shuddered, “But - “

“You can’t hate all humans forever,” Asmo said as if it was simply obvious. “They’re not all bad. Especially not our one, here! _______ is so soft and warm and so adorably weird and hopeless.” The backhanded compliment made you roll your eyes. Asmodeus clearly hadn’t thought you hopeless when he’d made you spend a whole 3 hours in a lingerie shop and judge every style against your will.

“Lilith loved humans, Belphie. I’m sure she had a happy life as one,” Satan sounded a little tight, a desperate grit in his teeth to come across as rational, but the words seemed to coax Belphegor more.

Then Belphie’s shoulders shook. You flinch, remembering how they had shaken with laughter just before he’d taken the back of your neck in the tightest grip. The young demon sniffled slightly - sniffled again, hiccuped once, before you noticed the glimmer of a tear track down his pale cheek. Belphegor was crying. You felt an echo of pity.

Mammon let go of your jacket and folded his arms. “Huh, you’re s’posed to be happy, y’know? What sort of fool cries at a time like this?”

“Mammon, you’re literally tearing up,” Levi pointed out.

Belphegor raised his head from his hands. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.

“If I hadn’t been so interested in humans, Lilith would’ve never gotten involved with them. And if I hadn’t invited her down with me, she wouldn't have met that - that _guy_.” All attention was on him, pitying glances alike with forlorn ones. “And then during the War, even then I… I couldn’t protect her. She was right _there_. And I didn’t even notice. So it is my fault. All of it.”

An uncomfortable itch worked its way up your spine, slipping in and out of the disks and up into the back of your head. You felt out of place and all you wanted was to sit back down on the empty staircase and bury your head back in between the shield of your knees and focus on breathing. You didn’t want to hear any more of this - _you didn’t care about the War, or Lilith, or however sorry anyone was_ \- you just wanted to go somewhere safe. The warmth in the air wasn’t returning; the feeling of life in your bones was as dull as it ever had been. At every blink, you could see yourself again. (Empty-eyed and bloodied, head bowed to the floor, a hollowness in your lifeless body that just seemed to move into you - possess you instead.)

“I’m sorry, Lilith,” Belphie looked at you as he spoke. The apology fell on apathetic ears. _I hope you’re happy,_ you thought to the angel you’d met _, I hope this is what you wanted. (Everyone loves you at the end.)_

“Belphie…” Beel took a step to wrap an arm around his twin, crouching as he did so. They both carried with them a sense of melancholy and for once, you saw the non-physical similarities between the two.

Leviathan left your side. “I never knew you felt this way.”

Belphegor’s head hung again. “I’ve… always felt like that.”

“No,” Lucifer said. He hadn’t spoken for a while, and his cool voice made you glance his way. His lower lip was a tad swollen from being bitten so much - a nervous habit on his part. “You’ve got it wrong. It’s not your fault, Belphie.”

Lucifer moved closer to his brother and offered him an ungloved hand to help him upwards off his feet, softly, he said: “And I wish I’d told you that sooner.”

Belphegor was as surprised as anyone else to hear Lucifer use such a gentle voice after all this time, and the way you’d heard him speak about the exiled brother before. You curled a hand around one of your ribs… so that was it? That was the story of your not-so-murder? Forgiveness all around? Then again, any physical altercations the brothers had dragged you into before only ended in arguments regarding responsibility and endless renditions of ‘ _he-started-it!_ ’

Your attention re-emerged when Belphegor took Lucifer’s hand with a slight smile, the two working briefly together to pull the younger onto his unsure feet. The sight made you feel all horrid and twisted somewhere in your gut.

“Tea?” Barbatos proposed.

With that, you turned on your heel and fled up the stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> hi !   
> this is a prologue for a miniseries i wanted to write for obey me. also known as Fuji’s Declassified Guide to Being a Zombie: Trapped in Hell edition <3
> 
> there will b some violence + smut + trauma mentions u are swan diving off the handle in a realm full of evil demons so . yh :)


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